Scottish film star Robert Carlyle came face to face with himself when he unveiled his own wax model at London¿s Madame Tussaud's.

"I'm shocked, it's a very strange experience," said the 38-year-old actor, who is currently featuring alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in the movie The Beach.

"I'm very impressed. I can't believe it. I want to buy him and stick him in the window¿, he added.

Carlyle, who was awarded an OBE last year, shot to worldwide fame in British film hit The Full Monty. He also played psychopathic characters in films like Trainspotting and the James Bond movie, The World Is Not Enough.

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Trial date for Brooke's 'stalker'

A man charged with stalking movie actress Brooke Shields is to go on trial in the US on 7 April.

The date was set at a hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court, where 41-year-old Mark Ronald Bailey repeated his not guilty plea to stalking and weapons charges.

A pre-trial hearing was also scheduled for 7 March by Judge Maureen Duffy-Lewis.

Bailey was arrested on 10 January and remains in jail in lieu of $500,000 (£312,000) bail.

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Beatle stabbing case adjourned

The case of man accused of attempting to murder former Beatle George Harrison has been adjourned for a further eight weeks.

The delay is to allow the prosecution to prepare its case against Michael Abram, 33, from Huyton, Liverpool. He did not attend the hearing at Oxford Magistrates Court, and was bailed in his absence to a medium secure psychiatric unit.

On New Year's Eve last year he was bailed at the same court to be detained under section three of the Mental Health Act.

Abram is charged with the attempted murder of Mr Harrison, 56, and his wife Olivia, 51, at their home on the 34-acre Friar Park Estate in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire on 30 December last year.

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Terfel cancels Met opera dates

Welsh opera star Bryn Terfel has been forced to pull out of his latest role at New York's Metropolitan Opera, due to back pains.

Baritone Terfel, who is scheduled for four more performances in Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann, has flown to London for treatment according to Met general manager Joseph Volpe.

The singer has been hampered by back problems in the past. In 1994, he had to cancel some Met performances as Leporello in Mozart's Don Giovanni and later underwent back surgery.

Canadian baritone John Fanning will take over the role.

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Clooney "fought" for Three Kings movie

Hollywood hunk George Clooney "threw his weight around" to ensure his latest film Three Kings about the Gulf War got made, his co-star has revealed.

Rapper-actor Ice Cube told a press conference at the Berlin Film Festival a "high-level" Warner Bros executive had tried to pull the plug on the movie.

A black comedy set in the aftermath of the Gulf War, written and directed by David O Russell, it takes a critical look at the West's war on Saddam Hussein.

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Charity Valentine cookies up for grabs

A stack of special "Valentine" cookies bearing messages from celebrities are to be auctioned off to raise money for children's charity Barnardo's.

Among those who have contributed their own personalised biscuits are boxer Lennox Lewis, ex-EastEnders star Patsy Palmer and TV host Carol Vorderman.

The celebrity cookie auction is part of the Big Bake for Barnardo's Appeal.

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East is East up for more film awards

Low-budget British film East is East has won a handful of nominations at the London Film Critics' Circle Awards.

The movie, which won Best Film at last week's Evening Standard Awards, is up for five awards, including Best British Film and Best Actor (for Om Puri).

Shakespeare In Love and American Beauty topped the nominations list with seven each, including Film of the Year.

The awards take place on 2 March.

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Return Oscars date for Benigni

Double Oscar-winner Roberto Benigni, whose antics won the hearts of viewers last year, is set to present one of this year's Academy Awards.

Benigni took the Best Actor award for starring in Life Is Beautiful, which he wrote and directed and which also scooped the Best Foreign Film trophy.

He was so overwhelmed by the event that he leapt over chairs to reach the stage and gave gushing speeches saying he wished to "make love to everybody".

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Diaz says she enjoys 'kicking butt'

Actress Cameron Diaz has revealed that she enjoyed working out in preparation for her new role in the Charlie's Angels movie.

"The training and exercise has brought out the tough girl who's never been far below the surface," she said in an interview with Now magazine.

"I love to kick butt," the 27-year-old actress admitted, adding that she was fed up with being thought of as a Hollywood beauty.